Throw together soup

Its a great time of year in the Northern Hemisphere for soup!  I made up my own soup the other day and it was delicious!  You can put in as much or as little of each ingredient as you would like depending on how much soup you want!

Box  of low-sodium Chicken Broth from Trader Joe's

Large onion chopped (or 1 diced onion bag from TJ's - these are the best!)

Sliced carrots

Sliced celery

Chopped bellpeppers

1 C frozen spinach

Any other veges you want to throw in

1/2 - 1 C Quinoa (TJs)

garlic powder

1/2 jar of salsa

Leftover shredded turkey or chicken breast

Saute the onion, carrot and celery in Olive Oil until onion is translucent.  Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Turn heat down to simmer, cover and let simmer for 1/2 hr to an hour.  Top with parmesan cheese.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce & Meatballs

Sauce:

1/2 onion diced

3 cloves garlic diced

extra virgin olive oil

2 cans Hunts Tomato Sauce

2 cups water

1 tsp sugar

salt & pepper

In a pan, saute onion and garlic and oil.  Add water, tomato sauce, salt and pepper (to taste) and sugar.  Cook for 1 hour on low with lid half on and half off.  Stir occasionally.

Meatballs:

1-2 lbs ground beef or turkey

1/2 C breadcrumbs

1/2 C parmesan cheese

olive oil

Mix all ingredients together and make into small balls.  Add a little oil to a saute pan and heat until thoroughly cooked.

Add spaghetti sauce to some whole wheat pasta and top with meatballs.  Thanks Jess!

Jam Tarts

100g Cold butter (1 stick), cubed

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 cup plain flour

Put above in food processor and run until mixture clumps into a ball.

 

Roll pastry into balls and push into mini muffin pans (no need to grease if they are non-stick). Stick in fridge for about 15 mins until hard (or freezer)

 

Fill 3/4 way up with Jam

 

Bake in 350 degree oven (180 C) until golden.

Cabbage Noodle Salad

1/2 Cabbage, sliced

1 packet asian flavoured 2 min Noodles, crushed

 

70g packet Sliced almonds

2T Sesame seeds

Fry in oil until lightly toasted

 

Put all above ingredients in bowl

 

Dressing: Mix and pour over salad

2T Oil

2T sugar

2T White vinegar

Flavour packet from noodle

Thanks to my sister-in-law!

Cornbread Chicken Pot Pie

 

Filling:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 medium Onion , chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups chopped Roasted Chicken
• 1/2 cup frozen sweet petite peas
• 1 potato , diced and boiled
• 1 1/2 cup chopped, cooked carrots
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Cracked pepper
• Dash of Tabasco® sauce

Crust:

• 3/4 cup white or yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil

To make filling: Preheat the oven to 400°. Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil and unsalted butter together. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 4 or 5 minutes. Add in flour until blended. Slowly stir in 2 cups of heated chicken stock, whisking well. Cook mixture over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Stir in chicken, peas, potato, carrots, salt, pepper and Tabasco®. Pour into a 2-quart ovenproof casserole dish coated with cooking spray and spread mixture evenly. 

To make crust: In a bowl, stir cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir milk, egg and canola oil until well combined. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Spoon the batter evenly on the filling. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 22 to 25 minutes.

Lauren's Ambrosia

From my sister-in-law...  What a great last minute desert/salad to throw together.

Mix equal parts fruit yoghurt and whipped cream.

Add marshmallows, grapes, berries, chopped banana, whatever you have on hand...

Grate chocolate over the top.

Cilantro Rice with Black Beans

I love this easy recipe from the 'Mama Manifesto' blog (see 'Blogs I stalk')

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can corn
1 can organic black beans
2 tbsp lime juice
1 bunch chopped cilantro (or four cubes Trader Jo's frozen)
salt to taste

That's pretty much it! Cook the rice, add the other ingredients, heat and serve! It's a one pot meal with whole grains, protein, and very little prep required.

Variation - omit rice, scoop ingredients onto a tostada, top with shredded cheese and melt in the oven for a yummy, crunchy pizza